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The Far Sideis arguably one of the most influential comic strips of all time. Created by Gary Larson, the series is famous for its simplistic aesthetic and witty one-liners. It was satirical, occasionally edgy, and always observational, creating a timeless set of short-form narratives. However, while The Far Side is incredibly popular, it is also a series that has frequently been misunderstood.
There have been many misconceptions about The Far Side, and some of them stick around to this day. Like any comic strip, The Far Side courted controversy, but Larson's playful sense of humor was also misinterpreted. It's been nearly 46 years since the first Far Side comic was published, and over the decades, there are a lot of things about the comic that people have gotten wrong.
The Far Side Still Exists
Technically, The Far Side ran from 1979 until 1995, which is quite the run. Gary Larson has since retired from the daily grind of cartooning, and those classic comics can be found in old newspapers or collected editions that bring all of the strips together. There are also plenty of lists of the best Far Side comics that let fans experience some of the funniest strips Larson ever wrote.
However, what many don’t realize is that beginning in 2020, new Far Side comics started appearing on the official website. While they’re few and far between, they mark a continuation of The Far Side in some small form. So, the basic assumption that the series ended in 1995 isn’t entirely true. On any given day, there could be more Far Side content to enjoy, as Larson’s witty and satirical musings continue to poke fun at even modern-day life.
Jane Goodall Wasn't Offended By The Far Side
In 1987, Gary Larson created a comic that poked fun at Jane Goodall. At the time, it sparked controversy, with claims that she wasn’t happy with the joke. Allegedly, her team was frustrated by the sketch, and there were even suggestions of legal threats. It seemed as if Larson had gone too far, offending a high-profile figure, which was a rare occurrence for the artist.
However, the truth is that when Jane Goodall actually saw the comic, she found it hilarious. The two eventually became friends, and despite the lingering urban legend, there was never any real ill will between them. For years, the rumor persisted, but what many misunderstand about The Far Side is that it was never meant to be controversial or adversarial. It simply aims to tell good, funny short stories, and in this case, Goodall agreed.
The Far Side Wasn't Very Political
Comic strips have a reputation for being political, especially one-panel cartoons. Since they’re often published alongside the news of the day in newspapers or topical magazines, they’re expected to be relevant to the time period. There are some great contemporaries of The Far Side that absolutely fit into that category, and it's fair to say that even The Far Side occasionally strayed into political territory.
Even though some Far Side comics featured real people, it was rarely political and wasn’t intended to comment on the issues of the time. The comic's observational humor remains just as relevant today as it was when it was written, but the focus was always on sharp short stories and clever visual gags. It was a far cry from the political cartoons of the era seen in The New Yorker and similar publications.
The Far Side Wasn't For All Ages
Some classic cartoon strips were clearly created with younger audiences in mind. Others, like Garfield, had a more universal appeal, with simple humor and an easily accessible main character. It’s easy to assume that The Far Side falls into one of those categories and was something designed for a wide audience to pick up and enjoy.
While younger readers might have followed The Far Side, Gary Larson often wrote with adult readers in mind. Many of the cartoons had a satirical edge that required some experience with everyday life to fully appreciate. The humor wasn’t necessarily mature in content, but the context and observational nature meant much of it would go over the heads of younger readers.
Gary Larson's The Far Side Stuck Around For A Long Time
Modern readers sometimes talk about The Far Side like it was something that was gone too soon. It's true that many people would have liked to see the comic go on for longer, and there are plenty of folks who still miss Larson's silly and surreal sense of humor to this day.
The truth is, The Far Side ran for well over a decade and stayed relevant from beginning to end. While Larson took occasional breaks and the strip had its highs and lows, it remained a staple of pop culture throughout its run. It became part of everyday conversation, a regular topic of water cooler talk as readers shared and laughed over the latest gag.
The Far Side Was An Award-Winning Comic
There’s often a preconceived notion that comedy-led work won’t receive the same critical acclaim as drama. For whatever reason, drama tends to earn more accolades, even though comedy can be much harder to write. On top of that, there’s also the belief that comic strips, which are a niche format in themselves, don’t qualify as serious art. Despite that, The Far Side earned widespread praise over the years, both during its original run and in the time since.
The Far Side earned several major awards, including the National Cartoonists Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award twice, the Reuben Award twice, and the Webby People's Voice Award for Humor once. That last accolade, which was awarded in 2020, shows that The Far Side has managed to stay at the top of its game even years after its original run ended.
Gary Larson Never Copied Other Comic Strips
These days, plenty of comics try to imitate the style of The Far Side. It's easy to come across a single-panel comic with a similar sense of humor and assume Gary Larson was making the same kinds of jokes his contemporaries were, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
When The Far Side was first published, the three-panel format dominated the comic strip world. By sticking to a single panel, Larson was already breaking from the norm. His approach to comedy was entirely his own. While there are many who have tried to replicate it, The Far Side remains one of a kind.
The Far Side Wasn't Gary Larson's First Comic Strip
Gary Larson is best known for The Far Side, and it's often assumed that the comic was his first step into the world of comic strips and the launchpad for his career. It's true that The Far Side was the comic that gave Larson his big break, but it technically wasn't his first work.
Larson's first comic was called Nature's Way. While it was published in a local newspaper, he wasn't making enough to work on it full-time and ultimately stopped. Later, a reporter who saw some of Larson's strips convinced the Seattle Times to bring the strip back. Although Nature's Way was eventually canceled due to reader complaints, Larson was able to sell it into syndication. The comic was reworked to become The Far Side, and the rest is history.
The Far Side Wasn't Just A Comic Strip
The Far Side was published in over 2,000 newspapers, but that's not where the story ended. Much like Garfield and other comic strips that moved from one medium to the next, there was a chance to give The Far Side an animated adaptation, and so a new plan was born, one that would hopefully bring the material to a whole new audience.
In 1994, an animated short titled Tales From The Far Side debuted, a cartoon in a style very similar to the original comic strips. In 1997, a sequel was commissioned, again using a similar style but arguably turning up the gags even further. Both were of high quality, though neither took off like the comic series did. Tales From The Far Side is a bit of an oddity today, but perhaps there's room to revisit the concept in the future.
The Far Side Changed The Game
When looking at the impact of comic strips from this pivotal period, The Far Side is sometimes overlooked. Bigger names often dominate the spotlight, pushing Larson’s work into partial obscurity. This has led some to believe that The Far Side wasn't as influential as its contemporaries and only thrived due to the comics boom at the time of its publication, but that wasn't actually the case.
The Far Side was a genuine game-changer and made single-panel comics more popular than ever. Unlike many other strips of the time, which leaned into grounded, everyday scenarios, The Far Side fully embraced the absurd and was completely unlike anything else. Its influence can be seen in everything from Calvin and Hobbes to The Simpsons, making it an irreplaceable part of pop culture history.
